Watch Snob: Is It OK To Sell An Heirloom Watch?

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The Watch Snob is in.Hand-Me-Down Watch Etiquette

Is it ever acceptable to sell awatch handed down to you from an older generation? My great grandfather gave me a vintageRolexDatejust Ref. 1601. The problem is that it's a two-tone gold and stainlessmodel.I don't think I would ever wear it, but myfirst instinct is to save it for my son. I certainly like the idea of passing it along tothe next generation, and perhaps he will like and wear it. Recently, I've been askingmyself whether or not I want to find out if I have the kind of child who would wear atwo-tone Rolex; it's in his genes, after all. Should I sell it, buy a Reverso and put itaway for him, or should I be ashamed for even considering the sale of a familyheirloom? Fret over this no longer. It is perfectlyacceptable to sell a handed-down watch, especially a two-tone Rolex. You'll even spareyour son the same dilemma after you shuffle off this mortal coil. I think yourgrandfather, being the kind of man who handed down a timepiece in the first place, wouldappreciate your desire to turn his old watch into something of your own. Besides, if youdo buy a Reverso or another watch that you will actually wear, it will mean more to yourheir when you pass it to him one day, since he will have seen it on your wrist rather thana dusty old watch from a man he never knew.Universal Genève watches

I've had a fascination with vintage Universal Genève watches for a while. Howwould you rank them in the pantheon of great watchmakers, and what do you think of them asvintagepieces?I am the first to admit that, despite my reverencefor the tradition of watchmaking, I do not set out to deliberately collect vintagetimepieces; I buy watches of significance that I like, whether old or new. Having saidthat, I share your soft spot for the Universals of yore, and they may just be the bestvalue in vintage watches today. While Universal is still in business, some poor businessdecisions and ill-conceived designs castrated them and today they are a mere shadow oftheir former glory. For those readers whocan’t look past the shiny brands that are sold in shopping malls, Universal was amaker of beautiful and innovative watches in the 1950s and ‘60s. They were, in fact,distributed in the United States by the Henri Stern Watch Agency alongside theStern-family-owned PatekPhilippe. Its Polerouter of the 1950s was the first watch designed by Gerald Genta,who went on to become the most important watch designer of the next two decades. UniversalGenève was particularly known for its chronographs, and if you can find a vintageTri-Compax, don’t hesitate. It is a legitimate haute horlogerie complication pieceand usually can be had for less than what most of you paid for your banal TAG orOmega.Question from a Watch Knob

How long can a watch sit without running before someone should be concerned? I'm surea day or two may not do much harm to the oils inside of a movement, but where shouldsomeone draw the line? Let me guess: You’resomeone who checks to see if Grandpa is still breathing every few minutes when he naps inhis chair. Well, unlike Gramps, with a watch, there’s no need for concern unless youfound it in a sock drawer or at a flea market, in which case, you’d be wise to haveit serviced. It’s a trade-off, really. If awatch runs constantly, friction will wear parts down faster than if it sits unwound. Butif it sits idle for any length of time, the oils pool and become viscous. For me, thisdilemma is a moot point. I just wear my watches and have them serviced every now and thenwhen their precision slips out of an acceptable range. But I suspect yourobsessive-compulsive brain will debate these scenarios to the point of madness. Continue Reading

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